STORY
Kemi Badenoch has called on Labour leadership figures to support cuts to welfare spending and redirect savings towards defence. The Conservative leader made the intervention as the Government faces pressure over the Defence Investment Plan following ministerial resignations.
Sky News reported that Badenoch said Labour politicians arguing for higher defence spending needed to say where the money should come from. She said welfare spending should be reduced to make room for additional military investment.
The Government has said defence is a priority and has committed to increasing spending to 3% of GDP in the next Parliament. The dispute over the timetable and scale of funding has continued after the resignation of John Healey as Defence Secretary and Al Carns as Armed Forces Minister.